The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-20

VI.
my second. cousin, Miss Mary Estmere.r
'And you wish your property equally divided
between the twos" asked the lawyer.
mot at all" said this Colonel at is to go
undivided to the whom prefer-the trouble
is. / have never seen either of them. Draw mp
the papers. leaving blank for the name and
telegraph for my relations"
To one of these messages Mrs. Spray had re-
sponded promptly as q piston-rod. Within
two hours of the receipt of the dispatch she ar
rived at the hotel. armed with affection andszeal
She busting woman, with quick eve for
pros pecrive legacy. end gift for making her
self unnecessary. She called the Colonel dear
uncle" at every sentence, and shook up his pill
lows SO often that the feathers did not get over
quivering between times. She gave him his
cordial in season and out of season. and wearied
the failing of the sick man with accounts OF
New South Buzzville and her husbands mills.
The Colonel groaped in spirit. He hated the
new South and its busting prosperity. He
loved the old regime with its comfortable shift
lessness. The doctor said there must be no
more conversation, Mrs. Spray sat par
lors off. with the doors closed between, and
worked on a crazy-quilt No reply came from
Miss Estmere. So days went By, and the
night came on-the night that should know
morning for tho sick man. Tho shaded light
burns low in the chamber the nurse and attend
ants pass noiselessly to and fro; the doctor is
grave and silent; his patient is sinking fast. A
few more chimes of the neigh boring church clock
will ebb ont the life of Col St George Estmere.
telegram" whispered the lawyer, tiptoeing into
the seeping-room. 'Shal we waken hint"
.head IT, said fne Colonel, Win an lmperlouS
gesture and the tone of a military order.
'.It ia from the station master:
"sYour telegram vas received at this Office
two days ago. and was promptly forwarded by
US to Miss Mary Estmere, of Estmere Hail. 1t
was sent by Kumpsy Isaacs one of the Estmers
negroes. Not heard from since"
"Estmere Hail." repeated the dying man, his
face shining with new light. his glazing eyes
kindling He then leaned forward from his
bolstering pillows. with the air OF one who sees
a vision; he stretched forth yearnine hands; he
gazed ntently. II see it, ] see il. Oh, my youth,
my lifen he cried a thrilling voice.
Something he saw which other eyes in that
room did not see, perhaps, poor, homeless wan
derer-the far. fai- home of his youth May be
-oh. ransomed soul!-that house not made
with hands. eternal in the heavens"
Then. some constrsining power giving way,
he fell back exhausted. The light went out OF
his face. and the gray shadows settled heavily
in its sharpening lines; he mbled the blanket
with his blue. transparent fingers, aad muttered:
''Sent by-one of the Estmere negroes-fam-
lily negroes-two days-Isaacs-Isaacs-I knew
that boy"
The muttering ceased. All power of speech
went from the pinched lips. An attendant bent
over him and held lamp to his closed eyelids
but he started up aghast as life fickered up once
more.
Mr.. Graham" said the dying man, in firm
voice, "fil in the blank-Mss Mary Estmere, of
Estmere Hall. bequeath all my property to
her. because she keeps the old place and the old
people serve her still "
The lawyer filled up the deed, the dying man
signed it, the witnesses atsested it, and al day
break the Colonel was more.
Toward noon of that day a smart Richmond
law clerk whirled up to the door of Estmere
Hall. kumpsv flashed ont to hold the horses
but the stranger. sprin cling from his light wagon,
colared the little darby and dangled him in the
air like a jumping-jack.
You the boy that was sent ont here with
our telegram three days agor' he cried.
The truth shot through Kumpsy like stab.
He squirmed with fear. His eyes started out
upon his cheeks, and a lie leaped boldly from
his open mouth.
ION, no, mol" he yelled. s'I don't know moth
ing bout dat! clar to goodness! Is dead, Is
deadp
The man set him down. but the supple legs of
the little darkey doubled IN under him, and
sdroitly unjontipg himself be fell mere heap
of toys upon the ground.
lyon possum!' cried the man of law, topping
over the dismembered heap before going into
the house.
Kumpsy, who had fallen within eye-shot of
the parlor windows. continued to play dead
successfully that Rags faithful creature, drew
and shifted his sympathy at the remains
specially at turnptop sticking out of the
pocket of the remains. First nibhle, then
bite which gripped pocket and all. Rags tugged
fiercely at it; he hoofed himself at ali tours
the steadfast earth. and his teeth twisted their
roots in his stubborn jaws
Something must give way Not Rags till the
world caves in, nor Kumpsy till life is extinct
He permits himself to be lifted quite up and
shaken by the beast. The cloth gives way the
pocket turns wrong side out and its contents are
scattered wide upon the ground. Rags makes
his selection with the air OF connoisseur-that
dirty little yellow wad of telegram, closely
compact with apple-core, aluring in fra
grance so choice in compositions; Rags chanks
his great jaw upon it, and the first grind
sends the bent pin into his gum; then he lifts
up his voice with howl of rage, and thrashes
the air with his tossing head and hoofs.
Kumpsy, hastily rising from the dead, resolves
himself into series of somersaults whirled off
apparently, with shrieks for their axis. The law
yer. interrupted in his explanation, steps brisky
upon the scene Miss Estmere comes too, look
ing pale and bewildered then mammy heaves
her large bulk in sight. and father Isaac slap
foots 30 the 'front.'
"Oh, nanny. nanny, it's dc telegram! Miss
Mays telegram don kick Rags higher than a
kitei"
Miss Estmers. dizzy with fright and the shock
of the news tainted dead away in mammy's
faithful arms.
Never you min it, honey" said the neeress
rocking her mistress in her arms IS it she were
q little child; .never you min it, honey; tele
grams always acts dat way in de fust fam lilies
Befo' de wah L remember ole miss go to de flo
like dead wen de telegram come an dey was
fawty niggers fallin' ober one nudder an fetch
in OBJ her to wild komfire. It was powfui hand
some manners for you to faint away, Miss May.
Yo' don well by de kunel Why. de ole kune
St. Jawge hissef couldn't do mon dat Of he got
de news oh his own DEATH"
The lawyer, acarpet-bagser from Connecticut.
was waiting at the station for the down train.
He stalked up to the ticket Office.
''Are you the man who sent our dispatch out
to Estmere." he asked.
No answer. The station master had been born
and brought up at Peterout, and he had no ear
for that tone of voice
THAT was a great combination for the tele-
graz h business-that mule and boy"
He might we'll have spoken to a deaf and
dumb asylum.
Il want ticket to Richmond. What is your
old Office good for anyway
Zone dollar and twenty cents said the sta
ton master. getting and stamping the ticket.
1T turned out all right for Miss Estmere," the
clerk went on. burning to talk THE old gen
tleman left her the money from sheer contrari-
ness. because she didn't at all anxious
about getting it. and the other Que rather over
did herself. But all the same, that is way
to deal with telegraph dispatches Do you mind
that"
But here the station master reapsed into |
hopeless deafness, and could not be reused from |
it till the lawyer was we'll away from Peterout
Miss Estmere bought back the good acres of |
Estmere, and hospitality reigned once more at |
the hall. Mrs. Spray lavender mourning. |
and talked good deal in certain circles about |
''my uncle Colonel St George"
az ~ t,akI l..